Directed by William Keighley
1935/USA
Warner Bros.
First viewing
Jeff McCord: We’re gonna make the word “government” poison to them if it’s the last thing we do.
There is something so comforting about putting a James Cagney movie into the player. I can count on him being good and usually the movie is good as well. In this case, the movie is quite good. With this film, Warner Brothers transformed the gangster genre into something the Hayes Code could live with while boosting an FBI that had just received the right to carry weapons and federal crime laws to enforce.
Cagney plays Brick Davis, a guy who grew up on the mean streets of the East Side but was financed by a bootlegger through law school. When his government agent law school friend is gunned down by mobsters, Davis decides to join the Bureau, severing his ties with his benefactor and Jean, the nightclub singer who is sweet on him (Ann Dvorak). In Washington, Davis is put under the tutelage of crusty veteran agent Jeff McCord (Robert Armstrong) who thinks him “soft”. Davis rapidly sets McCord straight and also impresses with his street smarts and inside info on the criminals he came up with.
The film is full of violent action, perhaps more of it than in the earlier gangster films. Davis’s colleague is slaughtered by the mob while trying to transport one of their number to prison and there is a montage of armed bank hold-ups. Later, after the Bureau is armed, there are a couple of spectacular gunfights. In keeping with the Code, there is no gore and the bad guys are thoroughly despicable and thoroughly vanquished. With Margaret Lindsay as Jeff’s sister and Brick’s love interest.
This movie sinks or swims on the back of Jimmy Cagney and he does not disappoint. He has the same cocky charm and energy that Tom Powers had, with the appeal of being in the right, and a good script to work with. Robert Armstrong plays his part with a healthy dose of humor, refreshing after his super-earnest work in King Kong. The bad guys are all interesting. Ann Dvorak was fine, but where did they get her dresses? I don’t think I’m a Margaret Lindsay fan.
Re-release trailer
Poor, poor Ann Dvorak and her unfortunate costume (and routine!)
Ann’s number. Oh dear. Though it does show off (in part) her lovely figure!
That stuff on her costume looks like what they sometimes line Easter baskets with to me. Tragic. Though I will give Ann credit for being a good sport.
Cagney as a G Man !!! I really liked this film. In real life, he would have not met the height requirement but would exceed the toughness criteria. What I like about Cagney, among a million other things, is that his persona is basically the same if he is a cop or cook…….rather endearing. The only film where I think he came across as totally evil was “White Heat”…….where he was a real psycho and had no endearing qualities except for his love for his Mother and even that was strange.
Who did the costume design for this film???…….you all are right, Ann’s dress has to be seen to be believed.
It was Orry-Kelly who is usually fine! Not only did Ann get the awful nightclub costume but I don’t think that dress with the big white bow on the chest is very flattering either.
Yes, Cagney mostly sort of played himself but he is so dynamic that I just buy it every time. White Heat is quite an exception.
Orry -Kelly!!!!!!!! You are kidding………must have been drunk when those were designed. They are just hideous.
“White Heat”……I could talk about it forever, That has got to be one of Cagney’s greatest roles and it is said that he hated it. Of course, the dining hall scene stands out and I believe we have talked about it before. I felt his performance was Oscar material…….but I think that since he was always playing crooks, that it prejudiced his nomination. Instead he wins the Oscar for playing a song and dance man (even though he was one, it was playing against type) and although I love “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, I don’t think it was up to an Oscar winning performance. His Cody Jarrett in “White Heat” goes way beyond playing a crook. And all of the other actors were perfectly cast in that film.